Fade To Black
by 0o0Pink Crystal Springs0o0
Summary: Gabriella is a new student and clicks with Troy...but what happens when family matters come in the way?
1. Trailer

Trailer

**Trailer**

**In life, everything happens for a reason…**

_Cut to Gabriella and Troy meeting each other for the first time at East High. She's in a cheerleading uniform while he is in a basketball uniform._

**Or so they say…**

_Cut to two random guys fighting in an alley. They are holding knives. Emergency sirens and lights fill the screen. _

**The pain of a loss is never temporary,**

_Cut to Mrs. Bolton sobbing in Mr. Bolton's arms. "Why…why must they do this?!"_

**And the bitterness is everlasting…**

"_YOUR SON IS A MURDERER!" Mrs. Bolton screams at Mrs. Montez. _

"_Scum families like you are why our society is troubled!!" Mr. Montez screams at Mr. Bolton._

**And one may feel revenge is the only antidote…**

_(unidentified voices) "We'll get them back, we'll get them." "They tried to kill us, we'll kill them." "My family's safety is the most important thing. If we take them out along the way to ensure our lives, then so be it."_

**But in the midst of pain, a light still shines…**

"_I'm so sorry," Troy says to Gabriella, "for everything that is happening. Please…I don't want to be a part of this…just trust me."_

"_I love you," Gabriella whispers._

**Waiting to be seen…**

"_I'll get us away from here, away from this…" Troy whispers._

**But if you don't pay close attention, you may miss it.**

"_It'll never work, Troy," Gabriella sobs._

**Zac Efron and Vanessa Anne Hudgens in Fade to Black**

_(both Gabriella and Troy) "Love- an everlasting emotions, a feeling. Love can never be thwarted. That is why being in love is deadly."_


	2. Simple

Gabriella…Troy…

**Gabriella…Troy…**

_((hey everyone…I'm starting a new story…that's about it for right now ____…read and review por favor…XOXO, CHRISTINE))_

_p.s. I own nothing except the idea of the story_

**That it could be so simple  
(you were thinking)  
Life should be that simple  
(Who would have thought it)  
I wish it were just that simple  
(don't know what you were thinking)  
The point's been missed  
We've made a mess  
Who would have guessed  
That it's as simple as it seems**

I'm not saying that it's a piece of cake  
Just take a moment to reevaluate  
The possibilities  
The situations  
The opportunities  
That are waiting  
Oh, the possibilities  
Oh, I

In a perfect outlining rectangle, newspaper articles bordered Gabriella's mirror. Newspaper articles regarding her family, her rich family, her elegant family. See, Gabriella was a Montez, the famous, industrial, billionaire, upscale family with an extremely reputable ancestry and unbeatable heritage.

Gabriella's father was a co-owner of Montez Electronics, one of the world's largest computer, television, phone, internet, and music companies. The public looked to them as royalty, not only because of their vital everyday life products, but their eleven-digit bank accounts as well, making the Montezes one of the richest families in the universe.

In constant competition with the Montezes was the Bolton clan, the other large electronics company. Both families were constantly trying to put the other out of business, an impossible feat. Generations ago, the two companies began as tiny businesses with barely any invented merchandise to sell. As soon as both began to pick up, the competition was eminent.

When in high school and college, competition is a healthy way to drive students to achieve wondrous things. Without a little competition, many of the world's most prominent individuals of the time would never have had the persistence and initiative to accomplish great things.

When in the electronics business world, the competition turns brutal. With money in their power, both the Boltons and Montezes seemed to fall above the law, skidding themselves out of trouble and jail. Both families were violent towards the other, and as time went on, what began as hostile words with the occasional non-damaging thrown punch morphed into knifing and gunfire.

Sheltering their children from the violence and horrid fighting were a section of each family. Jack and Sara Bolton used the Montez word occasionally at the dinner table as the punch line of a joke, or as an educational example of something stupid not to do. Now, as you would think, their son, Troy, would be about five-years-old, and his parents would be waiting to tell him of the family feud when he was…say…seven or eight. This, however, was not the case. Troy was seventeen and would soon be entering his senior year of high school. He was a stellar basketball player and superb singer. He was a hott face, with all the girls at East High (and some of the guys) going flutter, flutter over him. Easy-going and gentle, Troy would never be cut out for the scathing world of the family business. His parents, knowing this, planned to shelter him as much as they could and pray a miracle would happen before it was his turn to participate in the family business. No Bolton family member had ever opted out of that career-lifestyle before. Some joined after college, some joined before. Troy's parents had already made up the decision for him. Troy would attend college AND graduate school for two reasons. First, of course, it would delay his beginning at the corporation, and second, he would be doing the most advanced work, hopefully keeping him away from the street jobs and fighting action. Troy was his parents' youngest son, and they could not stand to see him go out into the fighting world like his older brothers.

Gabriella, on the other hand, was taught that the Boltons were a wicked family. According to her parents, their corporation was successful by a combination of lies and trickery. Her parents forbade her from ever talking to or corresponding with, a Bolton. She never had known any of them since her family had lived in a different area of New Mexico, but her parents knew a time would probably come at some point or another.

()

"Class," Ms. Darbus announced, "let me introduce you to Gabriella. Gabriella just moved here to Albuquerque. Let us give her a very warm welcome."

Gabriella hated being called out in front of a class. Normally, the teacher would make some huge deal over her. "Oh, everyone, we have a Montez in our class," they would obnoxiously coo. "Say hello to Gabriella." It made her just about gag. Of course, after an introduction like that, the entire school would kiss up to Gabriella, and she would never be able to make any real friends.

Luckily Principal Matsui had agreed to relieve her of that pain and suffering. Because there was a Bolton in the school, Mr. Matsui thought it would be better to downplay her last name at first. He wouldn't want an angry Jack Bolton, gym teacher/basketball coach/one of the head honchos of Bolton Corporation, to come storming to his office demanding why a "Montez Mongrel" as he called them, was allowed to come to East High. Truth was, Principal Matsui had no choice, he had to accept her. She seemed like a nice enough girl, and Troy was a nice boy. If the two students were kept away from each other, hopefully, there would be no problem.

However, Gabriella had only been enrolled the day before, and because she was so advanced in her classes, many of them ended up with Troy Bolton. He tried his hardest, but the fates seemed to be matching their schedules perfectly. Principal Matsui gulped at the thought of an angry Jack Bolton, but sadly knew it was inevitable.

But back to Gabriella. She walked to her seat conveniently located in the back of the room. She noticed a stunning pair of blue eyes staring at her. She couldn't help notice that the owner of those eyes was completely attractive. She blushed slightly under his warm gaze. It took her a few seconds to figure out that Ms. Darbus had begun class.

At the end of the 45 minutes of death, Troy casually ambled back to Gabriella's seat. "I'm Troy," he introduced.

"Gabriella," she smiled.

"Nice to meet you, Gabriella. Can I call you Gabi?" Gabriella laughed. "Or is it something your grandpa calls you or something?"

Gabriella smiled, slightly uncomfortably for she didn't have a grandfather. He was murdered by a Bolton a few years back. "No, no one has ever called me Gabi before. It's always been Gabriella."

"Well good, then," Troy answered. "So…do you need someone to show you around?"

"Sure, Troy," she said. The two began to wander aimlessly down the hall.

"So, where did you move here from?" he asked.

"The El Rito area," Gabriella answered. "My dad got transferred here for his job."

"What does he do?" Troy asked.

"A small, independent computer company," Gabriella lied. She didn't feel he needed to know her identity. She was afraid he would go as crazy as everyone else.

"I see," Troy said. "Do you miss El Rito?"

"Sort of," Gabriella replied, "but I never got out much."

"I know the feeling," Troy agreed. "My parents are all…you have to be serious about University and a career and basketball. Sometimes I just want to run away from it all."

"Oh, you too? I thought I was alone in this."

Troy laughed. "Yeah well East High isn't that bad. You can get real involved here. What do you like to do?"

"Well my parents are real focused on the academic part of life and "educationally benefiting after school clubs", so I guess I'll be involved in those." Troy nodded seriously. "But what I really love to do is sing."

"ME TOO!" Troy exclaimed excitedly. "Singing is one of my favorite things."

"Same," Gabriella happily agreed, "but my parents do not see the benefit of it at all. They believe it is a total waste of time."

"Are you sure we don't have the same parents?" Troy joked. "My dad thinks it gets in the way of basketball, and my mom…well she's supportive, but seeing as my dad makes a lot of money and holds a lot of power, she understands that it is in her best interest to listen to what he says and not challenge it."

"This is weird," Gabriella joked. "It's like we're from the same family."

"You should be in the fall musical with me," Troy told her. "It's so much fun. How about it?"

"Well, I don't know, my parents may not exactly be supportive," Gabriella answered, wavering with desire. Troy could hear it in her voice that she wanted too.

"Come on, Gabi, we can make it work with other clubs, I promise," Troy told her. "Trust me. It'll work." He put on a lame puppy dog pout face.

Gabriella laughed. "As long as you never put that face on again, but would it interfere with cheerleading?"

"Cheerleading?!" Troy asked incredulously. To him, Gabriella was not the cheerleading type. She seemed so…nice and innocent. From his experiences, cheerleaders were slutty bitches. "You aren't a cheerleader."

"Actually I am," Gabriella admitted. "I love to dance, and my old school had no dance team…so…I joined cheerleading. And now I love cheerleading."

"But you aren't like most cheerleaders. Most of them are…mean. They…eat people."

Gabriella burst out laughing. "They eat people?"

"I have the basketball player viewpoint," Troy informed her. "They could literally make a TV show, The Secret Life of the Cheerleaders. Oh my god, it's ridiculous. They're so slutty and mean."

"I try not to be," Gabriella assured him.

"I know," Troy smiled.

"You do?"

"Trust me I can tell."

()

Gabriella and Troy continued to talk all the way to their next class which was AP Biology. Upon the entrance of Ms. Endearing, a roll call was taken…both FIRST and LAST names…

_((cliff hanger baby!! WHAT WHAT WHAT?? Tell me how you like it so far…reviews please…give me ideas…tell me your favorite songs that could somehow work into this…please please please!...i love to hear from you…I'll also try and check out your stories ____…ill update as soon as I can…XOXO, CHRISTINE))_


	3. True Friend

CHAPTER 2

**Truth**

_((so yeah…yesterday's cliff hanger…totally pathetic I know…but it will get better I promise…I have no clue what I'm going to do with the end…maybe happy…maybe sad…maybe a little of both…this is not your ordinary romeo and Juliet…although it may sound like it is…but I pinkie swear…this story has INDIVIDUALITY…otherwise I would totally hate writing it…reviews please…XOXO, CHRISTINE))_

True Friend – Miley Cyrus/Hannah Montana

()

You know the secrets I could never tell  
And when I'm quiet you break through my shell  
Don't feel the need to do a rebel yell  
Cause you keep my feet on the ground

You're a true friend  
You're here till the end  
You pull me aside  
When something ain't right  
Talk with me now and into the night  
'Til it's alright again  
You're a true friend

()

"Troy BOLTON?!" Gabriella panicked in her head. She felt cheated. He had lied on his identity. He should have told her what his name was. "What else is he lying on?" Had he recognized her all along, hoping he could somehow discredit her or her family. Worse yet, was he out to hurt her?!

Little did Gabriella know, the same exact thoughts were frantically running through Troy's head. "How could I be so stupid?! I didn't even ask her last name! And she must have been using that to her advantage. I wonder if my parents know about this. I never heard a Montez was moving in on my turf here at East High."

Gabriella knew she would have to go to the principal directly after class and request to be moved into classes as far away from Troy Bolton as possible. She didn't want to leave herself vulnerable and unprotected. Who knew high school could be so dangerous?

Troy mentally planned to go complain to his father as soon as class ended. He would love to hear about a Montez on school property. He would not be at all tolerant of this, and he would be able to go to Principal Matsui and deal with it. He shouldn't have to be in a class with her. This was totally unfair.

Gabriella wondered if her parents knew about this. Obviously not, as they would have sent her to some other high school or even home-schooled her. They didn't want her ever coming into contact with trash like the Boltons.

()

"I'm very aware of the situation of you and Mr. Bolton in the same classes, Ms. Montez," Principal Matsui said, "but since you both are so advanced in the curriculum, I'm afraid I have no choice but to tell you that nothing can be done. Your schedules are exactly the same because you are in the same classes. If it was not this way, your schedule would not work out. I am sorry."

"Then move me down, back into an easier class," Gabriella begged. "I don't feel comfortable being in his classes. From what my parents have told me, the Boltons are very bad people."

"WHAT THE HELL IS UP WITH THIS?!" an angry Jack Bolton shouted, barging right through the door into Principal Matsui's office without knocking. "MY SON CANNOT BE IN THE SAME CLASSES, LET ALONE THE SAME SCHOOL WITH A PIECE OF MONTEZ TRASH. THEY'RE COMPLETE MONGRELS, ALL OF THEM!"

"Calm down, Jack!" Mr. Matsui said. "As I was explaining to Miss Montez, here…" Jack gave Gabriella a startled look upon learning her name. "Nothing can be done. They are both in the most advanced classes, and require the same schedule. Otherwise, their schedules would not work out."

"THEN MOVE THE NASTY BITCH DOWN A LEVEL FOR ALL I CARE!" Mr. Bolton screamed. "TROY WAS HERE, FIRST! THIS IS HIS TURF!"

"I will not tolerate your language, Jack, and never call this place Troy's turf again. This is not a gang. This is high school. I have to enroll every student that wants to come, and you'll just have to deal with it. I have already talked to all Troy and Gabriella's teachers. They are sitting on opposite sides of the room and are to avoid each other at all costs. Any teachers who do not respect my rules will be in serious trouble. I am trying, Mr. Bolton, Gabriella, Troy." Gabriella did not realize Troy was standing behind Mr. Bolton. He refused to make eye contact with her. "I don't see why this cannot work. If you two just make an effort to avoid each other, everyone should be happy."

"SHE WON'T AVOID HIM," Mr. Bolton yelled. "SHE'LL PROBABLY TRY TO SABOTAGE HIM, SLANDER THE BOLTON CORPORATION FAMILY NAME! WELL I'M TELLING YOU, MISSY, IF I EVEN HEAR OF YOU SPEAKING TO MY SON, YOU AND YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY ARE GOING TO PAY!"

"I DON'T TOLERATE THREATS MADE IN MY SCHOOL!" Principal Matsui charged at Mr. Bolton. "LAY OFF! YOU ARE THE VIOLENT ONE HERE IF YOU HAVENT NOTICED!"

"B-but she's…a…MONTEZ!" Jack whined.

"And you're a Bolton," Gabriella spoke softly for the first time. "My parents haven't exactly painted you in the best light either, Mr. Bolton. I will stay away from Troy if he stays away from me. I think it could work out."

"Kiss up," Mr. Bolton murmured. He silenced after a completely murderous look from the principal. "Fine, it seems as if I have no other options. Come along, Troy. Go to your next class."  
Troy and Mr. Bolton left the office together without a look behind them. "I think you should go to, Gabriella," Mr. Matsui said irritably. Gabriella stood up and left with a murmured "thank you".

As Gabriella turned to find her AP World Governments class, she felt an arm grab her and pull her into a corner. Upon her realizing who it was, she tried to scream, but no sound came out.

"No, no, no, I'm not going to hurt you," Troy whispered. "Look, I'm sorry about my dad in there. It's just…with the fighting and stuff…he doesn't trust you guys one bit."

"We're not supposed to be talking to each other, Troy," Gabriella said somewhat sadly. He had seemed nice.

"I know, but before we start that, I need to know something," Troy whispered. "Earlier…everything you said, was it truth or lies?"

"I told the complete truth," Gabriella admitted, "except when I said my dad worked with a small company. I didn't realize you were Troy Bolton. I only said that because I didn't want you to get all weird around me like everyone else tends to do. They kiss up, try to become my friend, but really, they don't give a care about me and what happens to me. They just want to say we're best friends, and I'm sick of that. I came here determined to make some actual friends."

Troy could hear the truth in her voice, the wounded truth. Truth was, he felt the same way. Sure he had some legitimate friends at East High, but the entire place worshipped him, not only for his money, but for his scholarship-worthy athletic skills as well. Truthfully, he could say he wanted the same thing as well.

"It seems like we really do live in the same world," he said sadly. "That's why we kept joking we were from the same family I guess, because technically we're from similar families. The only difference is, we're mortal enemies. God…I wish I never told my dad about this. I wish he would have found out some other way. For the record, I was entirely truthful as well. Maybe this whole feud and our similar lives is why I was immediately drawn to you upon meeting you. Maybe I felt I could find a true friend in you, an actual friend. Not someone who liked me for my athletic skills or riches."

"It's funny how everything can change in just a few minutes," Gabriella said sadly. "When I first found out you were Troy Bolton, I was immediately frightened. I was afraid you knew who I was. I was afraid you were plotting against me. I was afraid you were going to hurt me. Now I realize, we both had the same feelings. How stupid I am. I should never have gone to Matsui. Maybe we actually could have been friends."

"Boy, that would put a shock on our families," Troy smiled at the thought. "We can still be friends. They can't tell us what to do."

"We'd get in so much trouble, Troy," Gabriella said sadly. "They're going to be checking up on us, you know that. I don't want to cause any trouble. I'm new here."

"But…Gabi…" Troy said sadly.

Gabriella flinched at the name. She had only known Troy for an hour, so why did she feel like her heart was breaking?

"I'm sorry, Troy," she whispered. She turned around and walked down the hall to class, leaving a point-blanked Troy, whose head had the same exact words coursing through it.

Troy now regretted sorrowfully what he had done by bringing his father into it. He stared after her for a second, then slowly began to make his feet move in a forward direction, following her to the same class they shared and would share all year long.

_((I hope you like it so far…wow…I really enjoy writing this one currently…yes see I believe Romeo and Juliet did not ever 'break the friendship' like this…their parents never knew…more to come today…____…I'm about to get my copy of Breaking Dawn…so I may only write once or twice more today it depends...reviews please…last song was Simple by Katy Perry (love her…don't own it obviously…good song…get it on itunes…XOXO, CHRISTINE))_

_Thanks to scarlettbrenda3000 for the review ___


	4. Your Life Is Now

Chapter 3

**MATSUI'S MISSION**

_((I hoped you liked the last chapter…I'm back to write again…yea!! I hope you like it so far…give me any ideas, suggestions, song preferences, etc…I love to hear from you guys and know if you like it or not…read and review please…XOXO, CHRISTINE)))_

Would you teach your children to tell the truth  
Would you take the high road if you could choose  
Do you believe youre a victim of a great compromise  
cause I believe you could change your mind and change our lives

Chorus:  
Your life is now your life is now your life is now  
In this undiscovered moment  
Lift your head up above the crowd  
We could shake this world  
If you would only show us how  
Your life is now

Your Life is Now- John Mellencamp

()

"How was your first day of school at your new school, honey?" Karen Montez asked her daughter upon her return home. "Did everybody just fawn over you?"

Gabriella shrugged. "No," she answered, "they were normal."

"Really…" she said suspiciously. "People like you…normally you bring on lots of attention."

"Well…they're used to it I guess," Gabriella told her.

"What aren't you telling me?" her mother demanded sternly. "I know you, Gabriella Montez. Spit it out."

"Nothing," Gabriella denied. "Absolutely nothing. It was a normal day at any school, just like always."

"Days for you at school are never normal," her mother reminded her. "You turn a lot of heads, both looks and money-wise. What's going on?"

"Well…" Gabriella hesitated. "Promise not to tell dad?"

"What do you mean? What on earth do you want to keep from your father? He's not the type to keep things from. I'm sure whatever it is, he'll understand."

"I'm not so sure about this," Gabriella fretted.

"Oh, he's absolutely open to everything…except a Bolton," her mother added darkly. "But then again, why should he be?" Gabriella stayed silent. "Gabriella, dear, what is it?" Gabriella looked at the floor. "Is this…about…the Boltons?" her mother asked, clearly very concerned for the answer. Gabriella didn't move. "Tell me, dear." Gabriella just stood there. "NOW, GABRIELLA ELENA!"

Gabriella slowly nodded her head. "Troy Bolton goes to East High."

Her mother looked as if she was going to faint. "What…how…who…HOW THE HELL DID THIS HAPPEN?! I SPECIFICALLY TOLD YOUR FATHER TO MAKE SURE OF THIS BEFORE WE ENROLLED YOU! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?! YOU ARENT IN ANY CLASSES WITH HIM ARE YOU?!"

"I'm in all my classes with him, mom," Gabriella answered.

"WHAT?! HOW STUPID IS YOUR PRINCIPAL?! DOES HE UNDERSTAND WHO WE ARE AND THE POWER WE HOLD?! HOLY HELL! YOUR FATHER AND I ARE GOING TO HAVE A SERIOUS DISCUSSION WITH YOUR PRINCIPAL TONIGHT AS SOON AS YOUR DAD GETS HOME!"

"No, mom, please you can't tell him," Gabriella begged.

"I must, Gabriella dear, this is an issue of your safety."

"Mom," Gabriella begged. "Listen, I talked to Troy. He was really nice, and we agreed to not speak to each other. The principal said we would sit at opposite sides of our classes and would never be forced to talk to each other. It'll be fine. Don't make this a bigger deal than it already is."

"HOW DARE THE PRINCIPAL KNOWINGLY JUST PUT YOU IN A CLASS WITH THAT BASTARD?! DOES HE NOT KNOW WHO WE ARE AND WHERE WE COME FROM!? WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO MAKE HIM LOSE HIS JOB! Gabriella, this is an issue of your safety. You cannot be near them, because they are horrible people. They are the most horrible kind of people on this planet, and people like them are the reason society is perishing. Oh just wait until Arroyo gets home…we are going to go take your principal down."

"Mom…" Gabriella began.

"No do not MOM me," her mother retorted. "You have no say in the matter. Now, go do your homework."

"It was the first day of school. There is no homework."

"Then go…read your textbooks or something. I will not tolerate less than straight As from you."

Gabriella sighed. "I know." She went upstairs to await the arrival of Arroyo Montez, her father.

()

"This is insulting," Arroyo snapped. "You never told us scum like this was here! Do you know who we are?!"

"I know perfectly who you are," Principal Matsui calmly replied to Arroyo. "Why you are Arroyo Montez, co-owner of Montez Electronics, and you," he beckoned to Jack Bolton, "are Jack Bolton, co-owner of Bolton Corporation, not to mention the physical education teacher and basketball coach."

"GYM TEACHER?!" Arroyo blustered. "HOW THE HELL DID TRASH LIKE YOU GET A TEACHING CERTIFICATE. DAMN, THEY WILL LET ANYONE TEACH THESE DAYS WON'T THEY?!"

"Trash like me?" Jack Bolton challenged.

"Scum families like you are why our society is troubled!!" Mr. Montez screamed at Mr. Bolton.

"Have you looked at yourself lately, Montez?" Mr. Bolton sniggered.

It was nine-thirty in the evening. Arroyo had called a very annoyed Principal Matsui and convinced him to go to his office for a meeting. Little did Arroyo know, Matsui invited Jack, Sara, and Troy Bolton in for the little discussion. Upon the arrival of Arroyo, Karen, and Gabriella, both parties had gotten so angry that it was a miracle neither had stormed out angrily.

"I will not have this," Principal Matsui calmly, but firmly informed both men. "You all are just going to have to get along. Now, your children are both very intelligent and seem to be very nice."

"NICE?!" Jack laughed hysterically. "A MONTEZ, NICE?! YOU'RE JOKING, RIGHT? PLEASE SAY YOU'RE JOKING!"

"I'm not one to joke, Mr. Bolton," Principal Matsui snapped. "So far, there are no problems to report. In fact, one of their teachers who will remain unnamed saw the two having a perfectly friendly conversation after her class for a nice long time, and she thinks I'm crazy to be at all concerned. She thinks I should let them be normal high school teenagers." Upon hearing this disturbing piece of news, all four parents looked at their silent kids incredulously, at a loss for words. Mr. Matsui, after a moment of silence, continued speaking. "I tend to agree with her. Why fix a problem that has never occurred? BUT…since neither pair of the adults can handle this maturely, I guess the two teenagers will have to be punished, but please, sit back and ask yourselves if this really is fair to make Troy and Gabriella be in separate friend groups and after school clubs? This could prevent them from making true friends, since God knows every person in this school will love both of them for what they have, not who they are. But, if you guys are so immersed in business that you aren't going to let your children live normally, then so be it. I hope one day you realize how sick you are."

"It's a safety issue, not a business one," Karen Montez snapped. "Somebody from the Boltons could come and hurt Gabriella and snatch her right up. I for one, am not willing to take that chance."

"Are you questioning our campus security?" Matsui asked her. "I assure you, there will be no safer place for either of your children. I'm not dumb. I know there is a massive feud going on between your families. You get more press coverage than the president it feels like. The faculty and I will be watching over both kids, in addition to campus security. If, at any time, they feel there is a problem, then they are to go straight to the administration. We won't mess around. We understand this is a unique situation. Please rest assured we will handle it with extreme care."

"Okay, fine, but I don't want this whack job teaching my Gabriella," Arroyo shot at Mr. Matsui.

"I'm sorry, but we only have one gym teacher at the senior level," Mr. Matsui explained, "but do not worry. I will be strictly monitoring the situation personally. Mr. Bolton is not allowed to talk to Gabriella alone under any circumstances, and her grade will not be affected by his dislike of her." Mr. Bolton looked positively miserable at these news. "If there is any sign of a problem, Mr. Bolton will be in serious trouble with me, serious trouble indeed."

"Fine," Arroyo snapped. "I believe we are done here. Come Karen, Gabriella."

"Just one more thing," Principal Matsui said sternly. "If I see any evidence of students picking sides between Troy and Gabriella, or fighting about them for that matter…basically, if this feud enters the school and disrupts the peace and freedom of my students…you will both pay. I take pride in having a smooth, easy-going environment along with a rigorous academic curriculum. If anything jeopardizes that, you will both pay most severely. Take these threats seriously, because there are no second chances from here on out. From here on out, both of you families are acquaintances, even close to friends, on school grounds is that clear?"

"Yes," both parties reluctantly agreed.

Gabriella and Troy made sad eye contact with each other. They wished things could be different, and that Mr. Matsui's wishes could actually be granted.


	5. Just Friends

CHAPTER 4

**Just Friends**

_((back to write again…hello everyone…I absolutely love writing this story right now…it is fabulous fun…please review and tell me how you like it, any ideas, and any song requests…have fun…XOXO, CHRISTINE))_

There she goes again  
The girl I'm in love with  
It's cool we're just friends  
We walk the halls at school  
We know it's casual  
It's cool we're just…

I don't want to lead you on  
No  
But the truth is I've grown fond  
Yeah

Everyone knows it's meant to be  
Falling in love, just you and me  
'til the end of time  
'til I'm on her mind  
It'll happen  
I've been making lots of plans  
Like a picket fence and a rose garden  
I just keep on dreaming  
But it's cool cause we're just friends

Small talk on IM  
Just one word sentences  
It's cool we're just friends  
If I had my way  
We'd talk and talk all day  
Yeah

Everyone knows it's meant to be  
Falling in love, just you and me  
'til the end of time  
'til I'm on her mind  
It'll happen  
I've been making lots of plans  
Like a picket fence and a rose garden  
I just keep on dreaming  
But it's cool cause we're just friends

Just Friends- Jonas Brothers

()

"Hi, I'm Taylor McKessie," a girl introduced herself to Gabriella. "Mr. Matsui said I am supposed to show you the ropes of East High. He said we have similar interests and are both very intelligent, and he feels I would be a good guiding source for you here." Gabriella just nodded slowly. This girl seemed slightly…full of herself. "Okay," Taylor laughed, "I can't take this scripted introduction Matsui gave me. Sorry about that. I really am not that full of myself…but yeah, I'm Taylor and I'm supposed to show you around…so are you interested in joining the scholastic decathlon team? We really have A LOT of fun every year, and we learn a lot. With you on the team, I would have really high hopes for a state championship, which is just about my biggest dream right now, except for getting accepted into the best college possible. I'm still deciding between Harvard and Yale…and yeah I talk a lot if you haven't noticed."

Gabriella was slightly overwhelmed by Taylor's in-your-face greeting, but she sort of liked it, Taylor's eagerness that is. The only problem was that she resembled a small puppy, and that's how some of the fake people are. "The look on your face right now is priceless," Taylor laughed. "You should see yourself…so I really don't know what I'm supposed to do with this whole showing you around thing, so I'd like to just say screw it. Hope you don't mind. But yeah, if you like to learn, then the decathlon is for you…wow I sound like a huge total nerd. We need a new saying. How about something like, 'just because you're one of the smartest kids in school does not mean you have to be a huge nerd'. It has a nice ring to it, I guess, but most people in the school, if not all, would argue that the saying is totally untrue, but don't get me wrong, we aren't nerds. We're just…misunderstood. People don't understand us."

Gabriella was slightly humored now. The decathlon kids went from really smart normal people to really smart cheesy people to really smart nerds to really smart emos. "No offense or anything," Gabriella began, although she hated the phrase, "but you're persuasive monologue about the decathlon is making me less thrilled about the idea each second you continue talking." Taylor looked like she had just been slapped in the face. "So stop talking before I change my mind. Where do I sign up?"

Taylor's wounded face quickly morphed into a taken aback phase before it got totally excited. "You don't need to sign up just come to the first meeting! Oh my gosh, everyone will be so thrilled! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

"Okay, let's go to AP Bio," Gabriella suggested.

"Let's," Taylor agreed.

()

"Okay!" Ms. Endearing called. "We have exactly fifteen girls and guys in this class. Imagine that. SO…I decided our lab partners are going to be boy/girl. That way, work will be done in the most efficient way possible. The men's names are in a hat, so the ladies will come up and pick when I call your name.  
She began to run down the list of girls alphabetically. "Taylor McKessie!" she called. Taylor stepped forward. She plunged her hand into Ms. Endearing's wizard-like hat. Upon pulling out her strip of paper, she became flustered.

"Jason Cross," she snapped, looking across the room. See, Taylor had a small thing against basketball players. She had this idea that they were the ultimate ruiners of society and stuff like that.

"Oh great, another lunk-head basketball boy like that pretty-boy Troy Bolton," Taylor hissed in Gabriella's ear irritably. "How do they make it into AP classes anyways? You actually have to be smart to be in these classes."

Gabriella liked Taylor's opinions, but at the same time, didn't really like her insulting Troy. "Why am I doing this?" Gabriella thought. "Troy and I aren't even supposed to be friends…why should I care?"

Gabriella's name was called next. She strolled on up to Ms. Endearing's expression of anticipation, slightly annoyed by her expression. All they were doing was picking lab partners, and Ms. Endearing was treating it as a life-or-death task.

Nonchalantly submerging her hand into the papery hat, Gabriella picked all the way at the bottom. She pulled open the paper and read aloud, "Troy Bolton". Upon making eye contact with him, she could immediately tell he had been pleased by these news. Well, so had she. Just because the teachers weren't allowed to sit them next to each other did not mean that the fates couldn't participate.

"Oh my, well then I guess you'll just have to pick again," Ms. Endearing said disappointed. "Put the paper back in, please, dear, after you pick your new slip."

"Why?" Gabriella asked, pretending to be ignorant, with a false slip of curiosity in her voice. "Why can't Troy and I be partners?"

The entire class was staring at Ms. Endearing, whose eyes were darting around the room nervously. "Because that would not work out." The nerves were evident in her voice. "I'm not allowed…"

"Oh, the thing Principal Matsui said," Gabriella murmured rolling her eyes. "He's overprotective. I know a charming, wonderful teacher like you would never do anything wrong, but you didn't put us together purposely. Don't you want to teach us that vital lesson that we get what we get in life? You're such a great teacher, and all great teachers like you let many things happen by chance." Gabriella batted her eyelashes for dramatic effect, hoping she would coy Ms. Endearing into letting them be partners. While the teacher was deeply pondering the idea, Gabriella snuck a look at Troy. He was valiantly trying not to laugh.

"Well…" Ms. Endearing hesitantly said, "I guess you're right. As long as your both okay with this…"

"We're fine with it," Troy assured her. The whole class just stared, confused.

Later in lab, Troy and Gabriella finally had a chance to talk. "I think this is stupid," Troy said. "Why do our parents have to get involved? Why can't we make our own decisions?"

"Because that's what parents are," Gabriella replied sourly. "All they want to do is control your life. I wish I could get away from my dad. He's blustering and loud…and whenever he doesn't get his way he flips a shit and makes a big deal. Just because we have money, does not mean we can flaunt our way around society."

"My parents have kept me from society," Troy admitted. "I feel so sheltered. I didn't even know there was a feud until a few years ago when my cousin was killed in a knife fight. My parents tried to lie to me about it, but it was a huge topic at the funeral how a Montez had killed him."

Gabriella shifted in her seat uncomfortably. "I never heard about that."

"I doubt you would have," Troy shrugged. "I'm sure there were casualties on your side I haven't heard about."

"Sorry."

"It's not your fault. We can't control what family we're born into. Otherwise, I would have been born into some comfortable, peaceful, happy family, instead of this heavy-working, intense family. Although people here at school look at us as the lucky ones, I feel like all these other kids are, the normal ones who don't have to take part in this stupid feud."

"Well, we don't necessarily have to," Gabriella corrected, "but it's expected of us."

"My parents are trying to keep me out of it," Troy explained. "They're sending me far away to college and then to graduate school before I begin to work so I can work high up in the business where less of the fighting is. I guess that's true, the whole thing about less fighting. The fighters, or at least, the people who have been killed, haven't been the ones working. They've been the scouters, the sellers, the ones assigned to do some of the dirtier work."

"Yeah," Gabi agreed. She quickly searched for a subject change. The feud wasn't a great topic of conversation for two people to get to know each other. Especially, when these two people both belonged to opposite sides. "So…are you still trying out for the musical?"

"Only if you audition with me," Troy replied. "I'm not doing it without you."

"Well then you don't have to," Gabriella smiled. "What is it?"

"West Side Story," Troy told her.

"I love that one," Gabriella gushed excitedly.

"Me too." The two continued to work in silence. "So, I think with this whole stupid Matsui thing, we should just say screw you and be friends."

"Definitely," Gabriella agreed. "It's stupid to let something that doesn't involve us control us."

"Exactly. What they don't know won't hurt them."

"Yeah," Gabriella agreed, "and besides, being friends never hurt anybody."

"Of course not," Troy said. "And for some reason if they did find out, they would just have to get over it."

"Let's not even take the risk of their reactions by letting them find out," Gabriella warned.

Just then, the bell rang for lunch. "See you later," Troy said in farewell as he packed up and left the classroom. Gabriella took a little longer to pack up. Although she was happy that she and Troy worked it out, there was still some disappointment brewing in her that she could not explain. When he said 'friends', a spark had kindled in her that she couldn't quite get rid of.

_((okay so there's chapter 4…please please please review…I need to know if you like it…I hate relying on the amount of reads I have by looking in my stats…if you review me I promise to go look at yours and read them…I hope you like the song choices…if you don't then request one…the only rule is they have to be able to be relevant to a chapter…otherwise, they are unusable…sorry…I'll write again tomorrow hopefully…XOXO, CHRISTINE))_


	6. Summer Nights

((sorry everyone…it's been a few days…my account was frozen because one of my stories was a zanessa and apparently they aren't allowed…anyone else have that problem

_((sorry everyone…it's been a few days…my account was frozen because one of my stories was a zanessa and apparently they aren't allowed…anyone else have that problem?? Not going to lie…slightly annoying…not about the deleted story part…but the frozen account thing…I honestly couldn't care less about the story it was boring with a crappy ending that I put in when I decided I didn't want to put up with it anymore…so anyways…here's chapter 5 ____…read and review please…XOXO, CHRISTINE))_

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"Auditions for West Side Story started five minutes ago, Mr. Bolton, you are quite late," an annoyed Ms. Darbus informed Troy among his slightly tardy entry.

"Sorry, I was getting out of fall shoot-around," Troy explained. "You know how that is."

"Tell me, Troy, does your father know you are here?" Ms. Darbus knew the answer before Troy said it.

"Um…well about that…um no…" Troy admitted. "But don't worry; he doesn't pay attention to announcements so he doesn't know there are auditions today. He can't do anything about it later."

"Okay, then," Ms. Darbus sighed. She began to explain the strait-laced rules of her theatre program.

First to go were Sharpay and Ryan Evans. "Do thy realize that they look nothing like Maria and Tony?" people were whispering along with, "EW…they're brother and sister and they want to be the leads?!"

of Sharpay and Ryan's, it was a little showy, like everything of Sharpay and Ryan's. Sharpay gave the audience her ice-queen pissed off look. "Puh-lease, everyone. We're trying to perform. Part of what makes acting so great, is that you play things that are not your life. So…for as long as this show is running, Ryan and I are no longer brother and sister."

"Ew," a girl said a little too loudly.

"I doubt you could ever hold the part of Maria, Kayla," Sharpay snapped at the girl. "You can't even stay on key for more than five seconds, why are you even auditioning? Have you made a show here, yet?"

"Now that is enough of that, Sharpay," Darbus snapped. "Please…just begin."Sharpay and Ryan began an energetic rendition of tonight, inspiring some wide-eyed stares from Ms. Darbus and the audience. "Um…thank you," Ms. Darbus said awkwardly at the end. "Let me remind you, though…West Side Story is not all lively and happy…it's supposed to be sad and depressing."

"Of course," Ryan replied. "We just want to stick out in our audition. You'll remember our audition in that theatrical brain of yours, and we figure, you will be more likely to choose us."

Gabriella giggled as Troy imitated Ryan. Sharpay shot them an icy look. "Ms. Darbus," she interrupted her brother, "Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez are sitting next to each other. Shouldn't they be like…quarantined from each other or something?"

"According to Principal Matsui, yes," Ms. Darbus answered looking over Troy and Gabriella. "But I believe that they should be treated like normal high school children. Therefore, Ms. Evans, I approve of this behavior."

Sharpay rolled her eyes. "But Principal Matsui won't." Her voice had a threatening ring to it.

Darbus was not alarmed or amused. "Sit down, Sharpay and Ryan. We need to keep the auditions moving. Next up is…ah…Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez."

Troy and Gabriella both got up and did a flawless routine of how the song "Tonight" should be done."

"Excellent!" Ms. Darbus exclaimed. "That was exceptional! Thank you for putting on such a treat to watch!"

Troy and Gabriella stayed and watched the rest of the auditions. Some were really good, while some were downright horrible and hilarious. An hour later after the auditions, it was nearly five o'clock.

"You want to come over to my house for dinner?" Troy asked.

"Um..." Gabriella replied turning red. "Troy…I don't think your parents would like that very much."

"They wouldn't know," Troy told her. "Tonight is a big dinner/dance in downtown Albuquerque for Bolton Corporation and all its affiliates. All workers are expected to be there, including my parents and older brother. My parents wanted me to go, but I said hell no. I've been to them before, and they are really boring. So, my house is empty until about two or three in the morning." Gabriella gave him a wide-eyed look at the thought of an empty house just for the two of them. "Not like that," Troy hastily said, noticing her look. "I like to cook, sort of, so I was wondering if you wanted to come make dinner and desert with me, eat it, and maybe watch a movie…just as friends of course."

"Sure, Troy," Gabriella replied, not able to control the slight blushing in her face. "Let me just call my mom and feed her some line. I'll tell her I made a new friend and am spending the evening at her place. I'll say I'm going to Taylor McKessie's house."

"Taylor McKessie? You're friends with her?"

"Sort of," Gabriella replied whipping out her cell phone, phoning her mom.

After getting her mother's approval, Gabriella and Troy drove to Troy's house in his Mercedez-Benz, a 17th birthday present from the Bolton Corporation.

"Are we going to have to go shopping for stuff for food?" Gabriella asked Troy.

"Are you kidding?" Troy scoffed. "Do you think we can safely be seen together in public?"

"Right," Gabriella remembered. "Stupid family. I just wish we were normal, and not famous."

"Don't we all?" Troy agreed.

"My parents don't," Gabriella lamented. "They like the attention. They like being one of the richest families in the world, able to afford expensive trips everywhere."

"My parents love it, too," Troy explained. "My mom and dad work at the Corp very part time, actually. Having all this money allows my dad to fulfill his dream of coaching and teaching, not having to worry about his salary. His salary is actually the least of anyone at East High, probably, because he doesn't care about money."

"See, that's actually really cool," Gabriella said. "Your dad is doing something because he loves it, not because it brings in money or anything superficial like that. I wish money didn't matter."

"Don't we all," Troy once again agreed.

The two opened the stocked full cupboards in the Bolton household. "I have a taste for Italian," Troy said, "how about you?"

"Sounds delicious," Gabriella agreed. "What do you want to have?"

"Spaghetti and meatballs," Troy suggested. "My dad taught me how to make the best meatballs…oh and we can make Tiramisu for desert. My mom taught me how to make that."

"As long as we have garlic bread with that spaghetti," Gabriella told him. "I love garlic bread."

"Of course, garlic bread is a given," Troy laughed. "We even have a loaf of French bread in the bread cabinet."

"Perfecto," Gabriella laughed.

The two began to make their delicious dinner, even making homemade spaghetti sauce. "So," Gabriella said, "what do you want to do when you grow up?"

"Either play pro-basketball or go to med school and become a doctor," Troy replied. "I want to get out of New Mexico and go live in a place like California or Chicago, a big city."

"I want to discover the cure for cancer," Gabriella gushed excitedly… "but I am expected to take over and join the family business, like everyone else in my family."

"Me too," Troy replied. "I don't want to get involved in that mess. The idea of that type of future is not happy at all. The drama, the feud, I want to rise above that immaturity. I want to establish my own life for myself. I don't want to merely fit into the Bolton puzzle, the Bolton stereotype."

"It's weird, how similar two people can be," Gabriella admitted. "it's the same way with our families. They hate each other so much, but in reality, they are so similar."

"Yeah," Troy agreed. "That's why this feud is so stupid, so worthless. It's never going to be resolved, and it's never going to help anyone."

Gabriella nodded in agreement. "It's holding us back, too. How stupid is it that our parents don't even want us to be in the same school? I mean, what is the problem with us going to school together? Is there some Bolton virus that I'll get infected with and die from? No. So why does it matter?"

"Well your parents think I'm some type of monster, remember?"

"You're anything but."

The two continued to work, and they finally sat down to some delicious spaghetti and meatballs. "Forget basketball," Gabriella joked, "you should be a world-class chef, Troy, this is amazing."

"Thanks," Troy blushed.

After dinner and desert, the two threw in the movie Grease. "Is it weird that I actually like this movie?" Troy laughed.

"Not at all," Gabriella laughed.

When both of their favorite song came on, they leapt off the couch, and began to sing and dance along like five year olds:

Troy  
Summer lovin' had me a blast

Gabriella  
Summer lovin' happened so fast

Troy  
I met a girl crazy for me

Gabriella  
Met a boy cute as can be

Both  
Summer days driftin' away, to uh-oh those summer nights

Everyone  
Uh Well-a well-a well-a huh

Both  
Tell me more, tell me more

Doody  
Did you get very far?

Both  
Tell me more, tell me more

Marty  
Like does he have a car?

Everyone  
Uh-huh uh-huh uh-huh uh-huh

Troy  
She swam by me, she got a cramp

Gabriella  
He ran by me, got my suit damp

Troy  
I saved her life, she nearly drowned

Gabriella  
He showed off, splashing around

Both  
Summer sun, something's begun, but uh-oh those summer nights

Everyone  
Uh well-a well-a well-a huh

Both  
Tell me more, tell me more

Frenchy  
Was it love at first sight?

Both  
Tell me more, tell me more

Kenickie  
Did she put up a fight?

Everyone  
Uh-huh-uh-huh-uh-huh-uh-huh

Troy  
Took her bowling in the arcade

Gabriella  
We went strolling, drank lemonade

Troy  
We made out under the dock

Gabriella  
We stayed out 'till ten o'clock

Both  
Summer fling, don't mean a thing, but uh-oh those summer nights

Everyone  
Uh well-a well-a well-a huh

Both  
Tell me more, tell me more

Putzie  
But you don't gotta brag

Both  
Tell me more, tell me more

Rizzo  
Cos he sounds like a drag

Everyone  
shoo-bop bop, shoo-bop bop, shoo-bop bop,shoo-bop bop, shoo-bop bop, shoo-bop bop, shoo-bop bop, YEH

Gabriella  
He got friendly, holding my hand

Troy  
While she got friendly down in the sand

Gabriella  
He was sweet, just turned eighteen

Troy  
Well she was good you know what I mean

Everyone  
Woah!

Both  
Summer heat, boy and girl meet, but uh-oh those summer nights

Everyone  
woo, woo, woo

Both  
Tell me more, tell me more

Jan  
How much dough did he spend?

Both  
Tell me more, tell me more

Sonny  
Could she get me a friend?

Gabriella  
It turned colder - that's where it ends

Troy  
So I told her we'd still be friends

Gabriella  
Then we made our true love vow

Troy  
Wonder what she's doing now

Both  
Summer dreams ripped at the seams,  
bu-ut oh, those su-ummer nights...

Everyone  
Tell me more, tell me more!

At the end of the song, Troy grabbed Gabriella, and…caught in the moment he began to kiss her passionately.

_((a slight cliff hanger…review please…I didn't put a song at the beginning because there is a song in the middle..xoxo, CHRISTINE))_


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